Taking a fresh approach, World Religions Today explores world religious traditions as dynamic, ongoing forces in the lives of individuals and in the collective experience of modern societies. In contrast with most other books on world religions, this unique work does not adopt a historical perspective that focuses on the past; instead, it makes use of past beliefs and practices as backdrops for understanding how different faiths have evolved up to the present day.

Chapters 2-9 open with an Overview. Chapters 2-8 end with a Conclusion. Preface 1. Introduction Globalization: World Religions in Everyone's Hometown Understanding Religious Experience and Its Expressions The Great Transition: From Tribal Life to Urban Life and the Emergence of World Religions The Great Religious Stories of the World Modernization in Global Perspective Modern Colonialism, the Socialist Challenge, and the End of Modernity Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World Conclusion: We Are All Heretics in the Postmodern Situation 2. Indigenous Religions I. Origins of Homo Religiosus: Prehistory II. Indigenous Religious Traditions: Soul Belief and Afterlife III. Indigenous Religions Today 3. The Many Stories of Judaism: Sacred and Secular Encounter with Modernity: Modern Judaisms and the Challenge of Ultra-Orthodoxy Premodern Judaism: The Formative Era Premodern Judaism: The Classical Era Judaism and Modernity Judaism and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World 4. Christian Diversity and the Road to Modernity Encounter with Modernity: The Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy Premodern Christianity: The Formative Era Premodern Christianity: The Classical Era Christianity and Modernity Christianity and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World 5. Islam: The Many Faces of the Muslim Experience Encounter with Modernity: The Challenge of Western Colonialism Premodern Islam: The Formative Era Premodern Islam: The Classical Era Islam and Modernity Islam and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World Islam: Postmodern Challenges 6. Hinduism Encountering Modernity: Hindu Challenges to India as a Secular State Premodern Hinduism: The Formative Era Premodern Hinduism: The Classical Era (180 BCE-900 CE) Premodern Hinduism: The Postclassical Era (900 CE-1500 CE) Hinduism and Modernity Hinduism and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World Hindu Festival Practice The Religious Institutions of Contemporary Hinduism 7. Buddhism: Ways to Nirvana Encounter with Modernity: Socially Engaged Buddhism Premodern Buddhism: The Formative Era Premodern Buddhism: The Classical Era The Core Doctrines Premodern Buddhism: Buddhist Expansion Buddhism and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World 8. East Asian Religions: Traditions of Human Cultivation and Natural Harmony Encounter with Modernity: Postcolonial Confucian Economics East Asian Religions in the Premodern Era East Asian Religions in the Early Modern Era East Asian Religions and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World 9. Globalization: From New to New Age Religions New Religions New Age Religions East Goes West: Transcendental Meditation West Goes East: The Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon and the Aum Shinrikyo Movement Religious Postmodernism and Global Ethics The Challenge of Postmodern Secular Relativism The Future of Religion in an Age of Globalization Glossary Art Credits Index

Taking a fresh approach, World Religions Today explores world religious traditions as dynamic, ongoing forces in the lives of individuals and in the collective experience of modern societies. In contrast with most other books on world religions, this unique work does not adopt a historical perspective that focuses on the past; instead, it makes use of past beliefs and practices as backdrops for understanding how different faiths have evolved up to the present day.

Table of Contents

Chapters 2-9 open with an Overview. Chapters 2-8 end with a Conclusion. Preface 1. Introduction Globalization: World Religions in Everyone's Hometown Understanding Religious Experience and Its Expressions The Great Transition: From Tribal Life to Urban Life and the Emergence of World Religions The Great Religious Stories of the World Modernization in Global Perspective Modern Colonialism, the Socialist Challenge, and the End of Modernity Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World Conclusion: We Are All Heretics in the Postmodern Situation 2. Indigenous Religions I. Origins of Homo Religiosus: Prehistory II. Indigenous Religious Traditions: Soul Belief and Afterlife III. Indigenous Religions Today 3. The Many Stories of Judaism: Sacred and Secular Encounter with Modernity: Modern Judaisms and the Challenge of Ultra-Orthodoxy Premodern Judaism: The Formative Era Premodern Judaism: The Classical Era Judaism and Modernity Judaism and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World 4. Christian Diversity and the Road to Modernity Encounter with Modernity: The Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy Premodern Christianity: The Formative Era Premodern Christianity: The Classical Era Christianity and Modernity Christianity and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World 5. Islam: The Many Faces of the Muslim Experience Encounter with Modernity: The Challenge of Western Colonialism Premodern Islam: The Formative Era Premodern Islam: The Classical Era Islam and Modernity Islam and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World Islam: Postmodern Challenges 6. Hinduism Encountering Modernity: Hindu Challenges to India as a Secular State Premodern Hinduism: The Formative Era Premodern Hinduism: The Classical Era (180 BCE-900 CE) Premodern Hinduism: The Postclassical Era (900 CE-1500 CE) Hinduism and Modernity Hinduism and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World Hindu Festival Practice The Religious Institutions of Contemporary Hinduism 7. Buddhism: Ways to Nirvana Encounter with Modernity: Socially Engaged Buddhism Premodern Buddhism: The Formative Era Premodern Buddhism: The Classical Era The Core Doctrines Premodern Buddhism: Buddhist Expansion Buddhism and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World 8. East Asian Religions: Traditions of Human Cultivation and Natural Harmony Encounter with Modernity: Postcolonial Confucian Economics East Asian Religions in the Premodern Era East Asian Religions in the Early Modern Era East Asian Religions and Postmodern Trends in a Postcolonial World 9. Globalization: From New to New Age Religions New Religions New Age Religions East Goes West: Transcendental Meditation West Goes East: The Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon and the Aum Shinrikyo Movement Religious Postmodernism and Global Ethics The Challenge of Postmodern Secular Relativism The Future of Religion in an Age of Globalization Glossary Art Credits Index